PGA Catalunya Resort named GEO’s Champion of the Green

Story published at 16:12, Friday, October 9th, 2015

PGA Catalunya Resort Course Manager David Bataller whose dedicated team of greenkeepers have been named Champions of the Green for August 2015 by GEO

PGA Catalunya Resort’s dedicated team of greenkeepers, led by Course Manager David Bataller, have been recognised for their continued commitment to sustainable practices by being named as Champions of the Green for August 2015.

In 2013 the Costa Brava-based venue became the first European Tour Destination to attain the global mark of sustainability for golf businesses, GEO Certified®, which is administered by the Golf Environment Organization (GEO). The mark adheres to strict codes set by ISEAL, the global membership body for sustainability standards.

Since then, David and his team have managed to reduce demand on main grid supplies and position the resort, which is Spain’s official candidate host venue for The 2022 Ryder Cup, as a leading example of sustainability in golf within the country.

Resource efficiency has been a focus for the 2015 European Golf Resort of the Year*, with 100% of water used for irrigation coming from treated effluent water from nearby villages and on-site buildings, while photovoltaic panels and a geothermal heating-cooling system are also used on site.

Kelli Jerome, Managing Director at GEO, said: “It is encouraging to see high profile venues like PGA Catalunya Resort, continuing to show outstanding commitment to the longevity of its operations.

“David and his team’s work have helped it become an industry leader in sustainable golf business management.”

Commenting on the new accolade, David Bataller said: “Our staff and members are actively engaged in supporting this work and take huge pride in it, so it is fantastic to be recognised for the work we do to maximise our positive impact on both the environment and the community.

“We’re always looking for new opportunities to optimise our sustainability performance and the OnCourse® programme was very valuable for this. It helped to guide us through our operations, providing ideas and suggestions, as well as giving us the platform to confidently promote the great environmental and social actions that we’re doing.”